


Homecoming

by AceQueenKing



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Colonist (Mass Effect), F/F, Homecoming, Mindoir
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-06
Updated: 2017-08-06
Packaged: 2018-12-11 18:57:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11720484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceQueenKing/pseuds/AceQueenKing
Summary: Samantha and Shepard survive the war and settle down into their dream home - with picket fences and, of course, their dog.





	Homecoming

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ziskandra](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ziskandra/gifts).



The lights were shining again on Mindoir's capital, and Shepard blinked back a tear. Just one, of course; Shepard was still her tough-as-nails soldier.

But Samantha still sneaked her a tissue.

"Thanks," Shepard said, swallowing. Samantha leaned onto her shoulder in a wordless show of support; Shepard's hands curled around her side, and Sam felt at peace for the first time in - forever. A part of her was still waiting for the war to take her lover from her; a part of her, she suspected, always would.

Shepard's metal fingers curled around her shoulder and presses a kiss to her head. Nothing could ruin the moment, not even Urtz leaping up on her shuttle chair and proudly licking her chin.

"Urtz!" She squealed, and Shepard almost cracked a smile as the private shuttle began to descend into the capital city. Shepard squeezed her shoulder thankfully, and Samantha didn't complain when Shepard squeezed it a little tighter as the capital's buildings came more and more into view.

* * *

Shepard blinked as the bright sun of Mindoir's capital, Eresh, beamed down on her for the first time in 15 years. Urtz bounded out after her, with Sam bringing up the rear, two suitcases in her hands.

Everything they owned.

"Brighter than I thought," Sam said, cracking her neck. Shepard swallowed.

Sun in her eyes, sun in her eyes, hiding in the tree, the Batarian staring through her scope, her hand on the trigger, daddy I'm scared help me help me -- a shot a silence a sob.

"Are you okay?" Sam looked concerned and Shepard knew she must look like death. Sam pressed a hand to her cheek. "Maybe it's too soon," she said slowly, quietly. Her hand stayed on Shepard's face, quietly stroking her cheek and waiting, patiently, for Shepard to tell her what to do.

Shepard leaned forward, pressing a quick kiss to Sam's lips. "It's okay. I'm - I'm okay. We're home now."

In truth, she'd pushed for Mindoir, far more than Sam had pushed for her own colony. Partially it had been due to her own stubbornness; the Reaper war had taken her hand, most of her friends, and her home, and she wanted nothing more than to go back to some form of normal. Given that Alliance service was out of the question until she adjusted to her prosthetic hand, that left the only other home she had ever known, and Samantha gorgeous, perfect, Samantha, had not argued.

In fact, Sam had done more than her fair share in relocating them; Sam had handled the paperwork for their leave. Sam had found a home for them; a rental, for now, but a home, a proper one - with a white picket fence.

Wrex giving them Urtz well - that had just sealed the deal.

She held out a hand and Samantha gave her her free hand.

"I think you are oging to like the place," Samantha said. Shepard hadn't had a chance to look at it, being bedridden for the better part of the last six months. It had been up to Sam, but Shepard wasn't worried about it.

If they had survived the apacolypse, they could survive moving.

\- - -

Urtz followed master. He tried not to follow too closes, but was concerned; master seemed tense. He could smell it when his tongue hit the air, the wick of prey-sweat and tense muscles.

Second master was also concerned, though slightly better about showing it. Second master smiled and cooed at him as she opened a gate to a small dwelling. Not metal, like the big space wyrm that they'd gotten from Earth to here, nor stone, like the warm halls of home.

Urtz wasted no time going into the yard surrounding the home. The home was painted, blue, like Earth sky and Turian blood. Yard was full of red plants - master said "graaass!" while pointing to it and he was certain that he would like the graaaas, it smelled sweet and there was the scent of insects in the air. Urtz liked insects, especially crunchies.

Experimentally, he pawed at the ground. It fell behind his mighty paw, a lone earthworm wiggling away from him in terror. Urtz barked, communicating his pleasure to master and second master.

Second master asked, "What do you think?" and Urtz barked his answer, though second master only scratched him behind his ear-scales when she passed him. Master didn't answer, standing in the doorway, and he could smell the fear on Second-Master until Master turned around and grinned.

"It's perfect," she said. "Now come over here and I'll carry you over the door."

Urtz barked, happy at the thought of being carried, but second master beat him to it, running toward master and jumping into her good arm. Urtz jumped up too, and second master picked him up, holding him as master held her.

"Jeesh, good thing Vega made me do all those crunches," master groaned, as they all barrelled through the doorway together. Urtz licked her face and jumped down, eager to find new places to sniff and scratch in this new place.

He barked happily as master and second master stood together, second master holding master tightly. "Welcome home," she murmured, and master kissed her. Their scents had changed now; master and second master both smelled like hunters now, confident. No more prey smell. Good.

Urtz was happy. His pack was happy.

And he sure they would all enjoy their new home.


End file.
